Therapy dogs

Dog in hi-viz 'Therapy dog in training' vest

Our charity has helped to expand the number of service animals working for and owned directly by the Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS to provide emotional care for patients and staff.  

We know the positive impact animals can have in people’s recovery and over recent years it hasn’t always been possible to have therapy dogs visit so freely in our wards. Which is why several of our clinical teams have been fundraising to purchase their own in-house therapy dogs. Scarbrough Ward at Skegness Hospital successfully raised money to purchase Labrador Rammie in August 2021. Following intensive training, Rammie passed her exams and is now able to attend the hospital to provide care and support to patients and staff. More recently, Bernese Mountain Dog Bran was purchased in July 2023 by Welland Ward in Spalding and has already made several visits to the hospital.  

As the well-known saying goes, a dog is for life not just for Christmas, which means our fundraising appeals for the therapy dogs continue for as long as the animal is delivering services. Expenses associated with keeping animals are increasing every year with the average cost of owning a dog in the UK currently estimated at £1,800 per year. 

Main costs associated with looking after a therapy dog include (annually):  

  • Food costs - £300 
  • Pet insurance - £300 
  • Dental cleaning - £260 
  • Flea and worm treatments - £120 
  • Vaccinations - £85 
  • Treats and toys - £100 

Rammie is an asset to the team here at Scarbrough Ward. She provides our staff and patients with emotional and psychological wellbeing benefits which you can really see make such a difference when you see their faces light up as Rammie enters the room.

Team Leader, Scarbrough Ward

Therapy dogs

Our charity has helped to expand the number of service animals working for and owned directly by the Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS to provide emotional care for patients and staff.  

We know the positive impact animals can have in people’s recovery and over recent years it hasn’t always been possible to have therapy dogs visit so freely in our wards. Which is why several of our clinical teams have been fundraising to purchase their own in-house therapy dogs. Scarbrough Ward at Skegness Hospital successfully raised money to purchase Labrador Rammie in August 2021. Following intensive training, Rammie passed her exams and is now able to attend the hospital to provide care and support to patients and staff. More recently, Bernese Mountain Dog Bran was purchased in July 2023 by Welland Ward in Spalding and has already made several visits to the hospital.  

As the well-known saying goes, a dog is for life not just for Christmas, which means our fundraising appeals for the therapy dogs continue for as long as the animal is delivering services. Expenses associated with keeping animals are increasing every year with the average cost of owning a dog in the UK currently estimated at £1,800 per year. 

Main costs associated with looking after a therapy dog include (annually):  

  • Food costs - £300 
  • Pet insurance - £300 
  • Dental cleaning - £260 
  • Flea and worm treatments - £120 
  • Vaccinations - £85 
  • Treats and toys - £100 
Dog in hi-viz 'Therapy dog in training' vest

Rammie is an asset to the team here at Scarbrough Ward. She provides our staff and patients with emotional and psychological wellbeing benefits which you can really see make such a difference when you see their faces light up as Rammie enters the room.

Team Leader, Scarbrough Ward